Soldier&#39;s protector.



JOHN BILAN, or FLINT, MICHIGAN.

SOLDIERS PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

Application led April 1, 1918. Serial No. 225,956.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BILAN, a subject of the Emperor of Austria, residing at Flint, in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Soldiers Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a protector or shield for soldiersadapted to be readily transported and set up for use as a temporary barrier behind which soldiers may be stationed for firing upon the enemy. y

A further object of the invention` is to provide a portable bullet guard for soldiers formed in a manner designed for stopping the enemys bullets when set up for use while the same is serviceable as a padded plat-- form or bed at other times when so desired.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a guard serviceable as a bed with a suitably water-proofed bullet resisting face, arrangement being made for mounting the same upright resiliently supported when desired for use.

In the drawing forming a part of this application and in which like numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device set up as a protection against bullets;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the upper portion of the device partially broken away and with parts removed; and

F ig. 4 is a top plan view of one corner portion thereof and a horizontal sectional view of the opposite corner portion of the device.

My device is designed for service in time of war as a portable barrier against rifle fire and broadly comprises a guard or shield 10 of rectangular form designed to be resiliently supported when mounted substantially upright upon one edge thereof and thereby protecting soldiers positioned behind the same.

A rectangular base or frame 11 is provided having cross braces 12 carried thereby upon which are secured slats 13 while a flexible covering 14 of waterproof material such as canvas or leather is arranged over the slats 13 being secured adjacent its edges entirely around the frame 11 by rivets 15.

Bullet stopping material 16 is arranged within the covering 14 upon the slats 13 and this material may be wool, cotton, straw or waste. Y

It will be understood that the guard 10 so formed provides a front face adapted to withstand the force of a rifle bullet which will be unable to penetrate the covering 14 and layer 16 while this covering and layer also provide a soft surface for the shield 10 i which may be utilized for sleeping purposes when the shield is horizontally positioned when not desired for use as a bullet protector. y

The braces 12 are forwardly offset from the frame 11, being preferably formed integral with the said frame so that the bullet stopping portion of the device is arranged in a plane forwardly of the frame 11 with the rear of the guard 10 of dished arrangement affording more room behind the saine. Tubular posts 17 are secured transversely of the frame 11 having pointed lower ends 18 for projecting into the ground such as 19 when the device is set up for use slightly inclined rearwardly as herein illustrated. Adjustable resilient struts 20 are swingingly attached to the posts 17 by means of sleeves 21 secured to the said posts. Each strut consists of a turn buckle 22 connecting screw sections 23 and 24 together while the inner screw section 24 is resiliently attached to the sleeve 21 by a spring 25 having a link 26 pivoted to the adjacent sleeve 21 as at 27.

The length of the strut 20 may be readily adjusted by turning the buckle 22 in the required direction and it will be understood that the pointed free end 28 of the outer screw section 23 is engaged in the ground 19 when the device is in use so that the spring 25 of each strut aords a resilient support or brace for the guard 10. The device is readily transported wherever desired and can be set up for use after the manner of mounting an easel so that the soldiers positioned behind the guard 10 will be protected from the rifle lire of the enemy but may shoot overiand around the barrier at their adversaries. The frame 10 may be readily taken down by detaching the struts 2O and positioned upon the ground while the front face of the device may be employed for sleeping purposes if desired.

The structure possesses great strength and utility in time of war, its usefulness in warding olf bullets depending to a great stopping material arranged upon the saidy slats, and a covering securedat its edges to the said frame overlying thesaid slats and material.

2. A combined bedV and bullet shield com-` prising afraine having forwardly struckup transverse braces carried thereby integrally formed therewith, mounting slats carried by said braces forwardly of the frame', bulletv stopping material arranged upon the said slats, a covering secured atits edges to the said frame overlying the said slats and material, posts transversely carried by the rear` of the frame having sharpened ends adapted 4for projecting into .the ground when the device is set upfor use asa barrier, and re silient struts adjustable inilength pivotally Copies of thisipatent maybe obtained' for five cents each; by adllress'irxrg-y the Commissioner of Patents;Y

attached to the said posts'adapted for engagement withv the ground -bracingly positioned rearwardly of the frame when in their Y operative arrangement.

D 3. A device ofthe class described comprising` a .rectangular frame, transverse. braces integrally carried `by the frame projecting V forwardly thereof,'mountin`g slats secured upon said braces, a flexible covering secured to the frame entirely around the said slats,

bullet stopping material arranged between the said slats andk flexible covering, tubular posts transversely Vcarried rearwardly of the frame having pointed lower ends fOr embed-V ding in the earth when the device is set up for use, sleeves carriedby said posts, links Y pivoted torsaid sleeves, springs upon said links, screw sectionscarried by the springs, turnbucklesupon said" screw sections, and

outer 4screw Vsections oppositely carried by A the links having pointed free ends adapted t for projecting into thefgro'und' when thedevice is set up for use.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature. n lJOHN BILAN..

Washington, 

